Left Behind
by Anonymous Skrtle
Summary: Carlos was heartbroken. He was going to be left behind... he was going to have to repeat a whole grade without Kendall, James, or Logan. And there was nothing he could do about it. Or is there?


**Left Behind**

"Mrs. Levhimer? You said you wanted to see me?" Carlos asked happily. The bell had just rung, signaling that school was out for the week. It was Friday, and Carlos loved Fridays. That meant that the weekend was coming up. Carlos bounced up and down in his seat. He was eager to get away from this school. But first, he had to see what Mrs. Levhimer wanted to tell him.

"Yes, Carlos. The school has been looking at your grades. You have a D on every subject and an F in math. Your grades are under standards." Whoa. Big words. Carlos didn't really process the words in his brain. He just wanted to get outside and find his friends. Right now.

"Carlos, do you know what this means?" Mrs. Levhimer asked quietly. She looked worried. Carlos wondered why.

"No. What _does_ that mean?" Carlos knew for some reason that he wouldn't like the answer. Was he in big trouble? Or something worse?

"When students have grades under standards, that means they have to learn the material again. Your grades _are_ way below standards, so you have to learn all the material all over again."

Carlos felt his heart drop. Did she mean _summer_ school? There was nothing worse than summer school. "I have to take _summer school?_" Carlos sighed. The teacher looked even more uncomfortable and worried.

"No, summer school won't help. I'm sorry Carlos, but you'll have to repeat 8th grade. There's really nothing you can do about it." Mrs. Levhimer glanced at her youngest 8th grade student. She hated telling this always-happy kid that he would have to be separated from his three best friends during school.

"But...but... there really _nothing _you can do about that?" Carlos felt like he was going to cry. But 13 year old boys didn't cry. That was for babies.

Mrs. Levhimer sniffed. "Well, the only way you can go on to high school this year is if you get a 95 percent or higher on your final exam. That includes math, language arts, social science, and science. There are usually very, _very_ few kids who get over 95 percent. But, Carlos, if you try hard enough, you could be one of those kids."

Carlos knew he had no chance. He was going to have to _repeat_ 8th grade. He would be the oldest, dumbest kid in the grade. He could already he the kids making fun of him and whispering in the halls about him. He could already feel the parent's glares at him, telling their children to never, _ever,_ be like that boy.

The name Carlos Garcia would give everyone chills. No kid would ever be his friend anymore. He would no longer be a class clown. And worst of all, Kendall, James, and Logan would hate him, too. They wouldn't want to hang out with a 'not smart' person like him.

Even Mrs. Levhimer doubted her words. She tried not to show it, but Carlos was great at reading other people's expressions. Even his own _teacher _didn't think he could pass 8th grade this year.

"So... I'm gonna be... left behind? While Kendall and James and Logan go off to high school?" Carlos whispered softly.

Mrs. Levhimer hated seeing this adorable boy looking so sad.

"I'm sorry, Carlos. I'm so sorry." Carlos just looked at her with teary eyes. He stood up, and ran out of the classroom. Out of this stupid school. His best friends would be at a different building miles away without him. No more stupid pranks, no more anything together at school.

Why did he have to be so _dumb?_

On the bus ride home, Carlos stared out the window. The other three knew there was something wrong. Carlos was never depressed. Especially not on Fridays. They had never seen him sad before.

"Carlitos, what's wrong buddy?" Kendall put his arm around Carlos. James and Logan stared at them from where they were sitting. They sat to the right of Kendall and Carlos.

"N...nothing. I'm fine." Carlos sniffled. He looked like he was about to cry or something.

"There obviously _is_ something wrong, dude. Come on, just tell us." Kendall urged him. Kendall felt so protective of Carlos right now. He _was_ the youngest out of all of them. He was like the baby of the group.

"There's nothing you guys can do to help. There's nothing anyone can do." Carlos whispered, wiping his eyes with the sleeve of his shirt. So there _was_ something bothering Carlos. Kendall and the other just wanted to know _what._

The four boys got off the bus at their stop a few minutes later. Carlos sat down on a wooden bench. Kendall and Logan sat down with him. James couldn't fit, so he just stood behind them.

"What wrong, buddy?" Logan inquired. Carlos just looked away.

"You know we won't make fun of you or anything, right?" James added. Not that Carlos would ever be worried of being made fun of. Right?

Carlos looked at them hesitantly. "Today after school, Mrs. Levhimer told me that since my grades were so... horrible, then I would have to..." Carlos trailed off, not knowing how to explain it. He was hoping the boys understood what was happening to him, so he didn't have to say it out loud.

"Then you would have to _what_, Carlos?" Kendall said gently. Carlos hated being rushed or pressured. Kendall wasn't that patient, but he had _some_ patience when handling Carlos.

"Then I would... have t-t-to repeat 8th g-grade while you g-guys just went on w-without m-me." Carlos started sobbing his head off. He didn't care that Kendall probably thought he was a huge crybaby now, but Carlos didn't care. He was going to be kept behind, left behind as the stupid kid.

"And... there's nothing you can do about it?" Logan rubbed Carlos's back while Carlos hiccupped.

"No. Well, I-I mean... Mrs. Levhimer said I could go on to high school if I got a 95 percent or higher on the final exam. And you _all_ know that that could _never_ happen." Carlos rubbed his eyes and stared at the floor. His hands fiddled with his hockey helmet strap.

"That's possible, Carlitos! We could totally help you study for it! Promise!" James shouted hopefully. A lady walking her dog stared at him strangely.

"It's not gonna work, guys. You all know it's not." Carlos stated simply.

"At least give it a try, buddy. Give it your best shot." Kendall smiled at Carlos. Hope suddenly filled Carlos. Maybe he _could_ be one of the few that go a 95 percent or higher on his final exam. If he tried hard enough. Carlos was determined to get a great grade on this final exam, and go on to high school. He was not going to be left behind. And he never would.

_line line line line line_

Carlos was at James's house studying. James wasn't the smartest kid around, but he was average in his classes. Kendall was going out to dinner with his family and his uncle. Logan was taking a math class. Even though he knew almost everything about math by now. At least that's what Carlos thought.

"Okay... so you're on problem number five." James sat down on the blue chair next to Carlos's black one.

"Yeah. It's 2x+5= -4x+23. I don't get how to do this." James was surprised. That was like the easiest problem... ever. And James wasn't even _that _smart.

"Okay, so you first have to add 4x on the right side of the equation. Then you have to also add 4x to the left side." Carlos stared at him, looking puzzled.

James sighed. "Look." He did it for him. Carlos nodded like he understood.

"Then what do I do?" Carlos asked hesitantly.

"Then you add negative 5 to the 5 on the left side. Then add negative 5 on the other side." Carlos had James do that for him, too.

"Now, you have what?" James asked. Carlos looked at his paper, and then shrugged. James bit his lip. This was really hard, teaching Carlos math. And he still had all the other subjects to teach. Well, Carlos already understood social science. There wouldn't be that many science questions on the test anyways.

"You have 6x= -18, right?" Carlos nodded quickly. At least he understood that part.

"Then you do what?" Carlos looked confused and puzzled. Confuzzled.

"I have no idea what you are talking about." Carlos bit his lip. James sighed out loud. This was so _frustrating._ How could he not get it? James wasn't even smart, and he understood it perfectly fine.

"You have to divide the left side by 6, and then divide the right side by 6 also. Do that now." James demanded. Carlos finally wrote something on his paper. It was, luckily, correct. James was seriously going to lose it if he did something wrong again. "Good."

"So, x= -3?" James nodded. One problem done, 15 to go.

"Now do number 6 for me." James turned around and started doing his work. In twenty minutes, he was done with all of his math. Except one problem he was gonna ask Logie about the next day.

"Done!" James shouted happily, whipping his pencil across the room. James glanced over at Carlos's paper. He had written absolutely _nothing_ on it. He was still on number 6.

"I don't get it, James!" Carlos cried. He groaned in frustration. James explained number 6 to him. Then number 7. Then number 8.

"James? I don't get number 9." Carlos whined. James whipped his head around and snapped.

"How can you _not _get it? You have a brain of a... a... chicken!" Carlos looked hurt. So hurt and lost. He looked like a kicked puppy... a kicked chicken.

"But...I really don't get it." James sighed. Carlos was so dumb!

"Then go find someone else to help you! I can't stand you anymore! Just... you know what, just please get out of my house!" James shouted. Carlos quickly packed up his stuff and ran out of James Diamond's huge house.

Carlos cried and cried. James couldn't help him. He hated him. And Kendall and Logan probably did, too. He had no friends now, no one that loved him. Except him parents and maybe his sister. But those were _family_, not friends.

Suddenly, he felt an arm around him. "Did James get mad at you again?" It was Logan's voice. Carlos looked up at him with teary eyes and nodded.

"You know what? I'll help you study. Come on, buddy." Logan dragged Carlos all the way to his house. Carlos guessed that Logan's math class was over. That was really fast. Carlos told Logan all about his time at James's house.  
>"So, you need help on math?" Carlos nodded weakly.<p>

"And all the other ones." Carlos said, grinning sheepishly. Logan smiled and patiently taught all the stuff to Carlos. After a few hours, Carlos understood almost all of the math. Another few hours, and he understood the rest of the subjects that was to be tested on Monday.

"Carlitos?" Logan whispered. It was almost midnight, and Logan's parents were already asleep.

"Yeah?" Carlos was packing up his stuff.

"You know James didn't mean all that stuff he said about you?" Logan stared at Carlos intently. "He just doesn't have patience with anyone. He snaps at me and Kendall sometimes, too. And you _really_ don't wanna hear what he says to us." Carlos laughed and nodded.

"I'll tell James I'm not mad at him the next time I see him." Logan grinned and nodded in approval. Carlos was really bad at staying mad at anyone for more than a few hours. He was ready to forgive or apologize to anyone in the next few hours or so.

"That's my boy." Logan ruffled Carlos's hair. Carlos was like a little brother to him. Even though Logan was the one bullied, Carlos was still the youngest. Logan was glad he could help out someone in need.

**Monday...**

Today was it. The final exam. Carlos wasn't sure he understood everything yet, but now was too late to ask. Even though Kendall and James and Logan had explained the things to him so many times, Carlos was still clueless at some things. He just pretended he knew it because he didn't want James or anyone else to snap at him again.

James had apologized to him, and they had gone out to eat dinner together. Of course, with Kendall and Logan.

Carlos's brain felt dizzy while he continuously filled out bubble after bubble His eyes were starting to get tired and dreary. At question number 23, Carlos felt like he was already going to die. Carlos glanced at Kendall. Kendall smiled at him and his eyes told Carlos to go on. Go on until the end.

James took out his lucky comb and brushed it against his hair. When Carlos glanced at him, James turned around, looking at Carlos, and brushed the comb across his heart. _Good luck._ Carlos could hear James's imaginary voice telling him that he could do it.

Logan was already done with his test. The first one done in the class, and probably the whole 8th grade. He sat next to Carlos. When the teacher wasn't looking, Logan scribbled something on paper and gave it to Carlos. The helmet boy quickly opened it up.

_Pass the test, man. We don't want to leave you behind. -Loganator._ Carlos almost laughed out loud at Kendall's nickname for Logan. The Loganator. Someone who could conquer anything.

Finally, _finally_ Carlos finished filling the last bubble. He was the last to turn in his test. But he was confident he did fine on it. Maybe?

In a month or so, Carlos received his grades in the mail. Kendall, James, and Logan were at his house hanging out. It was summer break, and Carlos had nightmares about being kept behind a grade.

"Guys? What if I didn't get a 95 percent or higher?" Carlos hesitantly asked. What if he didn't? Carlos didn't even want to think about it.

"Then... we'll have to go to the principal's office and send death threats to him to let you go on to high school." Kendall laughed.

"Or blackmail him." James added.

"Or just live with it." Logan pointed out. The other three stared at him like he was crazy.

"Oh, just open the letter already." Logan groaned. Carlos took a deep breath, and flipped the letter open.

It looked like Kendall and James wouldn't have to send death threats or blackmail the principal. It also looked like Carlos wasn't going to have nightmares anymore.

**Please... review? PLEASE! :D**


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